“Violent recidivist” gets life sentence for killing childhood friend

A 42-year-old man who killed his childhood friend has been slapped with a life sentence by Justice Sandil Kissoon on Tuesday.
Prior to being deported to Guyana in 1999, Meignauth Premraj, called “Smokey”, had spent four years in a United States jail for committing a violent robbery. After 1999, he had served time in a Guyana jail for robbery-under-arms.
Justice Sandil Kissoon described Meignauth Premraj as a “violent recidivist” when he saw him on Tuesday at the High Court in Berbice.
Premraj, a vegetable seller and father of one, chose to enter a guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter despite being initially charged with the capital crime of murder.
On January 17, 2021, Mark Griffith, aka “Rancher,” a 40-year-old resident of Smithfield, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was chopped and stabbed by Premraj. He died while receiving treatment at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.

At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Justice Kissoon characterised Griffith’s homicide as a tragic, senseless, and seri ous crime that calls for a harsh punishment. The judge quoted the now-deceased Justice Cecil Kennard in saying, “Life is sacred, and once taken, cannot be restored.”
Given the severity of the offence, the several aggravating factors, and the frequency of violent murders, the Judge decided that the life sentence was warranted.
This prisoner is eligible for parole after serving 20 years, and his time spent on remand will be completely credited.
Justice Kissoon has also ordered him to enroll in all programmes and classes being offered by the Prison in order to arm himself with an occupation upon his release” from prison.
Premraj asserted in a probation officer interview that he acted in self-defence because Griffith was the one who had initially assaulted him with a cutlass. He also expressed his regret to the officer for ending his friend’s life.
Attorney-at-Law Surihya Sabsook represented Premraj, while State Counsel Muntaz Ali was the prosecutor.
The agreed facts state that Premraj and Griffith were acquainted, since they were childhood friends and neighbours who frequently drank alcoholic beverages together.
At 16:30 hours on January 17, 2021, Premraj was observed inflicting injuries on his friend with a chopper. Residents pleaded with him to stop, but he disregarded them and kept chopping away at Griffith, who was eventually pulled from a trench.
Premraj told Police investigators after being detained and cautioned, “Officer, ‘Rancher’ disrespectful; he disrespected me.” Griffith was stabbed in the chest, causing shock and bleeding that ultimately led to his death.